New school innovations to help Canberra children with disabilities

Jessica is one of almost 100 children with disabilities who attend the Black Mountain School in O'Connor, which in the past six years added new facilities and new initiatives to help its young charges.

These include a fully accessible gym and a horticulture training centre, as well as a state-of-the-art classroom which is under construction.

Black Mountain School was founded in 1955 by a group of nine families who wanted assistance in raising their children. Since then, it has grown to almost 100 students, 28 teachers and a number of administration and learning support staff.

Principal Frank Fogliati said all students had intellectual disabilities, ranging from mild to severe, while a third of those had serious or significant physical disabilities that at times required wheelchairs.

"There will always be a need for special schools and parents will always choose them. I think for the kids who have more complex backgrounds, in many cases, we're the only viable choice," he said.

Mr Fogliati said the students were taught in a variety of innovative ways, allowing them to learn and develop skills which will be useful in later life.

He said students who were unable to communicate verbally were assisted through special technology, while training centres and work experience places helped graduating students into the workplace.

"We're building a social enterprise [which] is seriously going to put Canberra on the map. It's called Six Degrees and it's a cafe, gallery and a garden... It's a place where the kids can learn authentically vocational training skills," he said.

He said after parents visit the school he always asks them for honest, on-the-spot feedback and he said they always have the same reaction.

"The thing that always hits them is they say, 'Everywhere I went, staff were talking respectfully to kids. No one was focused on the disability, they were focused on the whole person,'" Mr Fogliati said.

"It makes me very proud to be here."